Integrative Medicine Item Writing Needs
This resource information is only intended for use by registered ABPS subject matter experts.
Updated January 23, 2023
When writing new items, we ask that you focus on areas of greatest need, as indicated by the table below. Please concentrate your efforts on the areas in red text first.
| Domain | Subdomain | Number of Items Needed |
| 1. Nutrition | ||
| Nutrient imbalances | 9 | |
| Preventive Diets | 8 | |
| Micronutrients | ||
| Macronutrients | 7 | |
| Food Quality | 12 | |
| Therapeutic Diets | ||
| Elimination Diets | ||
| Functional Foods | ||
| 2. Dietary Supplements, Botanicals and other Natural Products | ||
| Adverse Effects/Drug Interactions | ||
| Evidence for Safety/Effectiveness | ||
| Quality Controls and Regulation | 4 | |
| 3. Mind-Body Medicine | ||
| Mental and Emotional Influences on Health | 20 | |
| Physical Influences on Mental/Emotional Health | 33 | |
| Self-Regulation Therapies | ||
| Placebo/Nocebo | 4 | |
| 4. Spirituality, Religion, and Meaning | ||
| Community and Connection | 5 | |
| Spiritual Assessment | ||
| Spiritual Suffering and Alienation | ||
| Evidence for the Impact of Spirituality on Health Outcomes | ||
| 5. Complementary Modalities | ||
| Movement Therapies | 5 | |
| Manual Therapies | 5 | |
| Acupuncture | 19 | |
| Expressive Arts | 5 | |
| Biofield Therapies | ||
| 6. Whole Medical Systems | ||
| Functional Medicine | 15 | |
| Naturopathic Medicine | 6 | |
| Osteopathic Medicine | 8 | |
| Traditional Chinese Medicine | ||
| Chiropractic | 8 | |
| Ayurveda | ||
| Homeopathic Medicine | ||
| Indigenous Medical Systems | 7 | |
| 7. Lifestyle, Prevention and Health Promotion | ||
| Sleep | 3 | |
| Physical Activity and Exercise | ||
| Self-Care and Well-Being | 14 | |
| Behaviors Influencing Health | 5 | |
| Patient-Centered Communication | 6 | |
| Environmental Factors | ||
| Risk Reduction | ||
| Motivational Interviewing | ||
| Social Determinants of Health | 6 | |
| 8. Integrative Approaches | ||
| Women’s Health | ||
| Endocrinology and Metabolism | ||
| Gastroenterology | ||
| Psychiatry | ||
| Men’s Health | ||
| Pain Management | 5 | |
| Allergy and Immunology | 2 | |
| Cardiology | ||
| Geriatrics | 4 | |
| Rheumatology | ||
| Infectious Disease | ||
| Neurology | ||
| Hematology/Oncology | ||
| Dermatology | ||
| Pediatrics | ||
| Pulmonary and Critical Care | ||
| Hospice and Palliative Care | 3 | |
| 9. Foundations of Integrative Medicine | ||
| Person-centered Care | ||
| Philosophy | ||
| History | ||
| 10. Professional Practice of Integrative Medicine | ||
| Evidence-based Principles and Practice | ||
| Systems-based Practice | 7 | |
| Medical/Legal/Ethics | 2 | |
If you are in need of assistance with your assignment, please contact Certification staff at certification@abpsus.org.
Click here for the ABPS Item Writing Guide.
Click here for step by step instructions on how to submit items.
